《小妇人》开篇：英文原著带中文翻译

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

「没有礼物，圣诞节还叫什么圣诞节，」乔躺在地毯上咕哝道。

"It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.

「穷真可怕啊！」梅格叹了口气，低头看着自己那条旧裙子。

"I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all," added little Amy, with an injured sniff.

「有的女孩子什么漂亮东西都有，有的女孩子什么都没有，我觉得这太不公平了，」小艾美委屈地哼了一声，插嘴说。

"We've got father and mother and each other," said Beth contentedly, from her corner.

「我们有爸爸、妈妈，还有彼此啊，」贝丝从角落里心满意足地说。

The four young faces on which the firelight shone brightened at the cheerful words, but darkened again as Jo said sadly,—

炉火映照着的四张年轻的脸，听了这句高高兴兴的话都开朗起来，可是乔又伤心地说了一句，大家的脸又阴沉了：

"We haven't got father, and shall not have him for a long time." She didn't say "perhaps never," but each silently added it, thinking of father far away, where the fighting was.

「我们没有爸爸，而且很久都不会有他。」她没有说「也许永远没有了」，可是大家心里都默默添上了这一句，因为她们想到爸爸远在别处，那正是打仗的地方。

Nobody spoke for a minute; then Meg said in an altered tone,—

有一会儿谁也没有说话，接着梅格换了一种口气说：

"You know the reason mother proposed not having any presents this Christmas was because it is going to be a hard winter for every one; and she thinks we ought not to spend money for pleasure, when our men are suffering so in the army. We can't do much, but we can make our little sacrifices, and ought to do it gladly. But I am afraid I don't;" and Meg shook her head, as she thought regretfully of all the pretty things she wanted.

「你们知道，妈妈提议今年圣诞节不送礼物，是因为今年冬天大家都会很难过。她认为我们的男人在军队里那么受苦，我们就不该花钱寻欢作乐。我们做不了什么大事，可是可以作一点小小的牺牲，而且应该乐意地去做。只是我怕我做不到。」梅格摇摇头，心里惋惜地想着她想要的那些漂亮东西。

"But I don't think the little we should spend would do any good. We've each got a dollar, and the army wouldn't be much helped by our giving that. I agree not to expect anything from mother or you, but I do want to buy Undine and Sintram for myself; I've wanted it so long," said Jo, who was a bookworm.

「可是我觉得我们要花的这一点点钱也起不了什么作用。我们每人有一块钱，捐出去对军队也没有多大帮助。我同意不指望妈妈或你们给我什么，可是我确实想给自己买一本《水妖和辛特拉姆》，我想这本书已经想了很久了，」乔说，她是个书呆子。

"I planned to spend mine in new music," said Beth, with a little sigh, which no one heard but the hearth-brush and kettle-holder.

「我本来打算把我的钱花在新乐谱上，」贝丝轻轻叹了口气说，这声叹息只有壁炉刷和锅垫听见了。

"I shall get a nice box of Faber's drawing-pencils; I really need them," said Amy decidedly.

「我要买一盒漂亮的费伯牌画笔，我真的很需要，」艾美果断地说。

"Mother didn't say anything about our money, and she won't wish us to give up everything. Let's each buy what we want, and have a little fun; I'm sure we work hard enough to earn it," cried Jo, examining the heels of her shoes in a gentlemanly manner.

「妈妈并没有说我们的钱该怎么花，她也不会希望我们什么都放弃。我们各人买各人想要的东西，稍微快活一下吧。我敢说我们干活够辛苦的了，挣这点钱也是应该的，」乔大声说，还像绅士似的端详着自己鞋子的后跟。

"I know I do,—teaching those tiresome children nearly all day, when I'm longing to enjoy myself at home," began Meg, in the complaining tone again.

「我知道我够辛苦的，整天教那些讨厌的孩子，几乎教一整天，可我心里却想待在家里快活快活，」梅格又用抱怨的口气说了起来。

"You don't have half such a hard time as I do," said Jo. "How would you like to be shut up for hours with a nervous, fussy old lady, who keeps you trotting, is never satisfied, and worries you till you're ready to fly out of the window or cry?"

「你的辛苦还不到我的一半呢，」乔说。「要是让你一连几个钟头跟一个神经兮兮、大惊小怪的老太太关在一起，她让你跑来跑去，永远不称心，把你烦得恨不得跳出窗子或者大哭一场，你愿意吗？」

"It's naughty to fret; but I do think washing dishes and keeping things tidy is the worst work in the world. It makes me cross; and my hands get so stiff, I can't practise well at all;" and Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that any one could hear that time.

「发牢骚是不好的，可是我确实觉得洗碗、收拾东西是世界上最糟糕的活儿。它弄得我心烦，我的手也变得那么僵硬，简直没法好好练琴了。」贝丝看着自己粗糙的双手叹了口气，这一回谁都听见了。

"I don't believe any of you suffer as I do," cried Amy; "for you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls, who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich, and insult you when your nose isn't nice."

「我不信你们有谁像我这样受苦，」艾美嚷道。「你们不用跟那些没礼貌的女孩子一起上学，她们见你功课不会就折磨你，笑话你的衣服，你爸爸不阔就给起外号，你的鼻子不好看就侮辱你。」

"If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels, as if papa was a pickle-bottle," advised Jo, laughing.

「你要是想说诽谤，就直说好了，别说什么外号，好像爸爸是个腌菜瓶子似的，」乔笑着劝告说。

"I know what I mean, and you needn't be statirical about it. It's proper to use good words, and improve your vocabilary," returned Amy, with dignity.

「我知道我想说什么，你用不着这样挖苦人。用词恰当、增加词汇量才是正理，」艾美一本正经地回嘴说。

"Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wish we had the money papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! how happy and good we'd be, if we had no worries!" said Meg, who could remember better times.

「孩子们，别互相啄来啄去了。乔，你难道不希望我们还有小时候爸爸丢掉的那笔钱吗？天哪！要是我们无忧无虑，我们会多么幸福，多么好啊！」梅格说，她还记得以前的好日子。